C James - Dome Six

The Authority representatives clapped alone. Downing stared at Tosh and Dek as Elle returned to her chair and whispered something in her ear. She nodded.

Hideki’s hands remained clasped around his legs as he pulled them tightly to his chest. He couldn’t have weighed 65 kilos. She couldn’t tell for sure if he was under the influence of a Macro or not, but chances were good.

Director Redmond returned to the podium.

“Thank you, Administrator Travers, for those inspiring words. Without further ado, I’d like to introduce our new Tower workers in turn. When I announce your name, please come to the stage to receive the gratitude of the Authority and the citizens gathered here.”

Redmond mechanically read the names of the recruits in alphabetical order. Owen would be second to last.

“You look like shit,” Tosh whispered to Hideki. “When was the last time you scrubbed?”

“Three weeks maybe? I don’t remember.”

“I never see you.”

“Sorry, I’ve been busy with a little science project.”

Owen was as expressionless as the kids in Tosh’s class. Redmond was already halfway through the names.

“Owen looks excited,” Hideki said sardonically.

“I’m worried about him,” Tosh said.

“Meh. It’s only two years.” Hideki glanced up at the workers in Tower 1, some of whom paused in their work to point and comment on the greenies below. More than a few had graying hair. “Of course, that’s probably what most of them thought.”

Tosh said, “Downing’s staring at us.”

“Fuck him,” said Dek.

“I’ll leave that to Elle,” Tosh said, and Dek chuckled.

“Owen Welsh,” Redmond intoned.

Tosh and Dek watched Owen trudge across the stage. The officials exchanged knowing glances, then he joined the others at the bottom of the wide metal staircase alongside Tower 1. Their foreman waited to lead them up.

“Ladies and gentlemen, the March 2183 Tower recruits!” Redmond said, applauding alone again. “Foreman Brinks, they’re all yours.”

The grizzled foreman walked with a hitch up the steps, his new recruits in tow. Owen cast a final look back at Tosh and Dek, then fell in behind the others. She watched him climb until she lost sight of him, then Dek popped her on the shoulder.

“Look alive,” he said. “We’ve got well-wishers.”

Tosh turned to see Elle and Downing headed their way. Most of the small crowd had already dispersed. She got up off the turf and unconsciously smoothed her uniform. Dek didn’t bother.

Her childhood friend looked as put-together as always. Her square shoulders were pulled back as tightly as her hair, which spilled out behind her in a long ponytail. Her elegant neck stretched toward the top of the Dome as though she was suspended from it.

Years had passed since Tosh saw her up close. The frown lines around her mouth were more pronounced now, her eyes a bit darker. Downing regarded them both with disgust.

“Tosh, Hideki,” she said through a forced smile. “It’s good to see you both.” When they didn’t reply, she nodded toward Tower 1 and remarked, “I could hardly believe little Owen was already of Placement age.”

“It’s harder to believe that’s where you put him,” Tosh replied, mocking her.

Elle’s face fell immediately, as though it strained her to smile. When she did, the faint glimmer in her amber-colored eyes died.

“As you well know, we don’t make such decisions,” Elle said. “So how have you been?”

“Just spreading the gospel,” Tosh said. “As you well know.”

Downing’s eyes slid to Elle as though expecting a reaction, but Elle only smirked. “Well I hear only good things from Director Davis.”

“I’d imagine the Director here has filled you in on what happened at School 2,” Tosh said.

Elle nodded grimly. “Yes, I saw your name on the report. Such a tragic mishap.”

“Mishap, yes,” noted Tosh, glancing back at Downing. “That’s what it was.”

A heaviness descended over Elle. About what, precisely, Tosh couldn’t have said. Maybe it was the accident or maybe it was regret about the very different paths their lives took after Placement. Maybe it was all these things.

“Well if there’s anything we can do to help you and your students, please let us know,” Elle said.

“What about you?” Downing said, sniffing in Dek’s direction. “Shouldn’t you be cleaning something?”

“I just came from my shift,” Dek said. “The Stores are spotless.”

“Well,” Elle said, brightening. “We both have a busy day ahead. It was really good seeing both of you.”

As much as Tosh had come to resent the Authority — and by extension, Elle — it struck her that her old friend might’ve felt every bit as trapped as they did. She nodded to Dek and gave Tosh a tired smile before turning away. Downing briefly met their eyes one more time before he joined her. He looked triumphant.

Hideki excused himself the moment the ceremony concluded and ran off, leaving Tosh to continue contemplating Owen’s circumstance. Two years could break him.

She decided to spend the balance of the day at Byron’s place. Byron would’ve come to the ceremony, but he didn’t think much of Hideki and having them both there would’ve made things awkward for everyone.

She still wasn’t sure what they were to each other. At their age, relationships were just relationships. You still needed Authority approval to cohabitate, but it was such a hassle that most people didn’t bother. He and Dee lived on the first floor of the Sector 44 complex, not quite a kilometer from her unit. She knocked on the door of 110 and Dee answered.

“Hey Miss Y,” she said cheerfully, and about-faced with the door open.

Dee tried to call her Tosh like everyone else, but it felt weird for both of them. She was one of the few bright spots in her current cohort, a curious and headstrong girl. Tosh would’ve loved to fan that little ember in Dee’s soul and see what caught fire, but there were few such opportunities, especially now that her classroom was under scrutiny.

At first it was a little awkward to be in a relationship with a parent, but Tosh came to see it as an opportunity. Outside the classroom, she wasn’t bound to the Authority curriculum. She and Byron both hoped that hers would be the first generation to leave the Dome unless they all got out together. If that ever happened, she’d need to think for herself.

Byron knew the man who fell through the roof. His name was Patrick, and he was just 20. Byron had only been up in a crawler four times but said he wouldn’t have trusted his life to the aging equipment if he could help it. A maintenance worker as young as Patrick wouldn’t have known how dangerous it really was, and it likely cost him his life.

Tosh joined him on the couch, where he and Dee were trying to find their way through a maze. The Cache only offered a few dozen games, mostly of the puzzle or strategy variety. Nothing that suggested the Time Before.

“You want to play?” Byron asked. “We’re on level 263.”

“Nah, I’m good to watch.”

“How was the ceremony?” he asked.

“The usual. Those robots from the Authority made it sound like they were doing everyone a favor.”

“How’s Owen?” Byron asked. Overhead, Dee was still finishing her turn.

“He’s pissed off,” Tosh said. “Can’t say I blame him.”

“You called it,” he said. “You never believed he’d get a cushy Placement.”

“I know. I just didn’t want to be right about this. Any more news about Patrick?”

Byron shrugged. “The motor on his crawler crapped out. He was up trying to fix it when he slipped. No telling how long he hung there before his harness broke.”